Astilbe plant named ‘Moulin Rouge’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Astilbe  plant named ‘Moulin Rouge’, characterized by its compact, upright and strong plant habit; strong and healthy foliage; freely and uniformly flowering habit; dark-colored leaves; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Astilbe crispa ×Astilbe japonica.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Moulin Rouge’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe plant, botanically known as Astilbe crispa ×Astilbe japonica and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Moulin Rouge’.

The new Astilbe plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Noorden, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to create new compact Astilbe cultivars with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Astilbe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2004 in Noorden, The Netherlands, of Astilbe crispa ‘Perkeo’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Astilbe japonica ‘Red Sentinel’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Astilbe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Noorden, The Netherlands in June, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Astilbe plant by divisions in a controlled environment in Noorden, The Netherlands since January, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Astilbe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Astilbe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Moulin Rouge’ . These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Moulin Rouge’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Astilbe:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and strong plant habit.     -   2. Strong and healthy foliage.     -   3. Freely and uniformly flowering habit.     -   4. Dark-colored leaves.     -   5. Red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the female parent,‘Perkeo’, primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Perkeo’ have purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Astilbe differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Red Sentinel’, primarily in growth habit as plants of ‘Red Sentinel’ are taller than plants of the new Astilbe.

Plants of the new Astilbe can be compared to plants of Astilbe crispa ‘Lilliput’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Noorden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Astilbe differed primarily from plants of ‘Lilliput’ in flower color as plants of ‘Lilliput’ had pink-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Astilbe plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Astilbe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Moulin Rouge’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Moulin Rouge’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of the upper surface of a typical leaf of ‘Moulin Rouge’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in containers in Noorden,

The Netherlands, under commercial practice in during the summer in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 4° C. to 16° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Astilbe crispa ×Astilbe japonica ‘Moulin     Rouge’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Astilbe crispa ‘Perkeo’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Astilbe japonica ‘Red Sentinel’,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By divisions.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 12° C. to 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About eight weeks at             15° C. to 30° C.         -   Root description.—Thin, fibrous; brown to black in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact, upright and             strong plant habit; roughly triangular; flowering stems and             leaves basal; dense and bushy growth habit; low vigor;             freely and uniformly flowering with numerous flowers on             branched panicles.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate to slow; from divisions, about nine to             ten weeks are required to produce fully-grown flowering             plants.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of foliar plane).—About 7.1             cm.         -   Plant height (soil level to top of inflorescences).—About             28.6 cm.         -   Plant width (spread).—About 20.1 cm.         -   Stem description.—Length: About 4.8 cm. Diameter: About             1.3 cm. Internode length: About 4 mm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate; biternately compound.         -   Leaf length (excluding petiole).—About 11.9 cm.         -   Leaf width.—About 11 cm.         -   Lateral leaflet length.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Lateral leaflet width.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Terminal leaflet length.—About 4 cm.         -   Terminal leaflet width.—About 2.3 cm.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet shape.—Ovate to narrowly ovate.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet base.—Rounded to cordate.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet margin.—Biserrate.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture, upper surface.—Smooth,             glabrous.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet texture, lower             surface.—Sparsely pubescent; slightly rough.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Lateral and terminal leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper             surface: Close to 137A. Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker             than between 139A and 147A; towards the margins, close to             N186B; venation, close to 173B to 173C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147A; venation, close to             178B to 178C.         -   Leaf petiole length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Leaf petiole diameter.—About 4.5 mm.         -   Leaflet petiole length.—About 2 mm.         -   Leaflet petiole width.—About 1 mm.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole texture, upper and lower             surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, upper surface.—Close to             174A; at the nodes, close to 183B.         -   Leaf and leaflet petiole color, lower surface.—Close to 144B             to 144C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type/habit.—Numerous single rotate flowers arrange on             terminal branched panicles; flowers fact upright, outward or             downward depending on position on the panicle; panicles             triangular in shape; freely and uniformly flowering habit             with about 1,000 flowers and flower buds per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; sweet.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuously flowering during the             summer to late summer in The Netherlands.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the             plant; flowers persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 1.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Shape: Broadly ovoid. Color: Close to 61B; towards the base,             close to 146A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 23.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 14.3 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl. Length: About 3 mm. Lobe width: About 0.9 mm. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Broadly acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous Color: Developing             petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 61B. Fully             expanded petals, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 68A;             towards the base, close to 68D; color becoming closer to 68D             with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single             whorl, fused towards the base; campanulate calyx. Length:             About 1 mm. Width: About 0.8 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Cuneate, fused. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing sepals,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 60B; lower half and base,             close to 145B to 145C. Fully developed sepals, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 60B; lower half and base, close to             145B to 145C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 22.8 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Angle: Erect to about 30° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147A tinged with             close to 183A to 183B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.7 mm. Diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength: Moderately strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147B tinged with             close to 183B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically             ten; anthers basifixed. Filament length: About 2 mm. Anther             shape: Ovate. Anther length: About 0.2 mm. Anther color:             Close to 63C. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to             155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: Two, rudimentary. Pistil             length: About 0.1 mm. Stigmas: Not present. Style length:             About 0.1 mm. Style color: Close to 68A. Ovary color: Close             to 160B to 160C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Astilbe have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Astilbe. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Astilbe have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate ram, wind and high     temperatures of about 35° C. Plants of the new Astilbe have been     observed to be hardy to USDA Zone 5. 

1. A new and distinct Astilbe plant named ‘Moulin Rouge’ as illustrated and described. 